Photos and a review of The Trews in Kingston
[We had Virginia Meeks on site. – AC]
Finishing off a massive tour, both The Trews and Eddy & The Dirty Boys were DEFINITELY ready to go out with a bang on this final surprise stop. Packed with surprise guests, special dedications and a sold-out show, this would be a night people won’t forget for a long time.
Eddy & The Dirty Boys is a newly formed supergroup comprised of Jay Emmons, Adam “Packer” Paquette, and Steve Louis Kirstein from The Glorious Sons and Mike “Monty” Montgomery, as well as Claude Northey from Boston Levi.
Sometimes featuring guest appearances from Martina Lake (Lake Porter) and Josh Hewson (The Glorious Sons) – in this writer’s humble opinion, one of the most exciting collaborations of brilliant musical minds in recent memory.
With their grit and growl, Eddy & The Dirty Boys packed a punch. They make music that drives everyone to dance and party, making them the perfect fit for a tour with Canadian icons, The Trews.
The Dirty Boys kicked off the night locked and loaded with energy that carried through their entire set. Their loose, loud aesthetic quickly won over the 500 people packed inside The Ale House. Within minutes, the crowd was hooked.
As the final strums of Eddy & The Dirty Boys rang through The Ale House, the energy in the room had hit a boiling point. However, the crowd knew this night was building to something bigger. The Trews. And when they hit the stage, everything shifted into high gear.
Launching straight into “Manifest” from their latest album The Bloody Light, they immediately set the tone for the night, once again solidifying their place as one of Canada’s defining rock radio bands.
From there the night quickly turned into a parade of surprises. From “The Bloody Light” co-producer Brett Emmons (The Glorious Sons) joining them for the album’s self-titled track, to climbing off the stage and into the crowd – turning the show into something that felt surprisingly intimate.
The emotional peak of the evening came during “Highways of Heroes”, when hundreds of fans lifted their phones in the air filling the Ale House like a field full of glowing lights.
From there the band shifted gears again, bringing Eddy & The Dirty Boys on stage for a couple of full ensemble moments including “Not Ready to go”. And then it was time for the finale.
The band saved their biggest guest for last as Paul Langlois from The Tragically Hip https://thehip.com/ joined the Trews for “Wheat Kings” and “Little Bones”, closing the night with what felt like a shot of pure Kingston rock history.
By the time the lights finally came up, the room was buzzing with the kind of energy that only comes from witnessing something special. What started as a tour stop had turned into something much bigger… a celebration of Kingston’s deep rock roots, its tight-knit music community, and the moments that remind everyone why live music still matters.
